By Rebecca Wallace
About this blog: I grew up in Menlo Park and have long been involved with both local journalism and local theater. After starting my career as an editorial intern with The Almanac, I was a staff reporter for the Almanac and the San Mateo County Ti...
(More)About this blog: I grew up in Menlo Park and have long been involved with both local journalism and local theater. After starting my career as an editorial intern with The Almanac, I was a staff reporter for the Almanac and the San Mateo County Times, covering local government, cops, health/science and many other beats. In 2005 I made the move to the arts desk at the Palo Alto Weekly. A&E is close to my heart because of my experience in the performing arts. I've been acting and singing in Bay Area theater productions for years, and have played everything from a sassy French boy to a Texas cheerleader. In Ad Libs, I blog about the exhibitions I see, the artists I meet and the intriguing new projects and trends I see in the arts world.
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Palo Alto artist Florence de Bretagne has a team of lawyers backing her up as she creates six big murals at a local school. No, there are no legal issues; these folks are wielding paintbrushes.
De Bretagne, known for her optimistic palette and community involvement, enlisted attorneys from the nearby Kilpatrick Townsend firm to help paint murals at the Los Robles Magnet Academy in East Palo Alto. The artist goes to school during the week to get everything ready, and the lawyers pitch in on the weekends.
"I paint the backgrounds, trace all the whimsical flowers on the walls so that the lawyers are not too intimidated by the job," de Bretagne told me. Other community members are also helping create the cheerful murals, which have themes including respect and responsibility.
This is the second school-mural project for de Bretagne, who originally studied law herself before choosing art as her career.
Pictured: One of the murals at Los Robles. Photo courtesy of Florence de Bretagne.
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